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Scotsman
25-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Scotland's holiday season opens up - and Trump ripples are being felt
The US has long been Scotland's key international tourist market but visitors appear to be more reluctant to travel given political and economic uncertainties at home Sign up to our History and Heritage newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... They are richer, older and generally stay in Scotland for longer and for years they have been the bedrock of Scotland's international tourist industry. For tens of thousands of US tourists a year, Scotland has felt like home with the threads of history and ancestry long pulling visitors across the Atlantic - as well as the hallowed game of golf. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But as the sun rises on the 2025 tourist season, there appears to be one trend emerging across Scotland - the apparent drop in number of those visiting from the United States. The season may be in its early days, but it is being felt on the ground that numbers of American tourists have weakened - with the political and economic uncertainty in their home country cited as the cause. Matthew Jackson, Property Director at the Sonas Hotel Collection, which includes Skeabost House on Skye and Knipoch House near Oban in its portfolio, said bookings 'were steady' going into the new season but 'not the same pattern as what we would have expected'. He added: 'We normally would have had a lot more Americans booking in advance, so the middle of the year is a little bit patchy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Everyone seems busy enough, but I think what we have to realise is that the strength of tourism is the world market so what happens in other countries always has an impact on bookings, specifically bookings from overseas. 'Americans don't have a lot of holidays so they book way in advance But certainly coming up to their elections, you saw that start to fall off. Potentially, and I am just guessing here, that kind of delay is what is affecting this year's market. 'We still have lots of Americans, but it is not as strong as it has been in the last few years.' Matthew Jackson, of Sonas Hospitality, which runs hotels across Skye and Oban, said "visitor patterns" on the island were different to this time last year, with fewer bookings from the US market. PIC: Contributed. | contributed Numbers of US tourists to Scotland in recent years have been exceptional, with the latest available data from Office of National Statistics' International Passenger Survey showing that 459,400 visitors arrived in the first six months of 2024 - a 46 per cent increase on the same period the year before. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad US President Donald Trump plays golf at his Turnberry course in 2023. The policies of the US Government - and rhetoric around them - are reportedly harming tourism in America and making Americans think twice about travelling. PIC: Getty / Robert Perry. | Getty Images They spent a total of £560.1 million during the six month period - far higher than any other group - with their holiday funds 26 per cent higher than the year before. But as President Trump and his inner circle upend policy and create chaos around the globe and citizens grapple with tighter cost of living, inflation rises, public sector job losses and the fall out from rhetoric surrounding new trade tariffs, appetite for travel among its people may well indeed have been shaken - as well as their perception of how they are viewed overseas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chris Greenwood, senior researcher for the Moffat Centre for Tourist Research at Glasgow Caledonian University, said figures for US travel to Scotland last year had been 'phenomenal'- but that change was predicted. While it was unclear whether current visitor patterns were being measured against last year's figures or data collected back in 2019, the last typical year before the pandemic, Mr Greenwood said he expected US travellers to trail off in the second half of this year. He said: 'The situation surrounding the US market specifically is obviously one of uncertainty in terms of household income and cost pressures. 'So I would say for the first half of this year, any US visitors would have booked say summer last year. We are still going to get this legacy kind of travel coming in. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The second half of the year, I would expect it to get quieter.' The United States is Scotland's largest international source market measured by number of visits, nights and spend. READ MORE: Travel experts warns of Trump ripple effect on global tourism In 2023, US visitors accounted for 20 per cent of all overseas trips to Scotland and 34 per cent of all overseas spend in Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'It is a hugely significant market. The US market tends to be more wealthy and more immune to those household pressures. That said, we could see a drop in spending. 'So we are maybe looking at fewer tourists and less spend and I imagine they will be concentrating on fewer areas, such as Edinburgh and Inverness and places like that. 'I think travel may be driven by the ancestral market a lot more so travel would be for very specific reasons, rather than general.' Mr Greenwood said the perception of how Americans are viewed around the world could also be undermining a willingness to travel overseas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The US market has , traditionally, as global travellers, been very sensitive to how they are received and perceived abroad. They feel uncomfortable in places where they feel they won't get a warmth in welcome.' However, this could work in Scotland's favour, he added. 'There may be this misplaced idea of perhaps 'maybe we won't go to Europe because they don't like us' but that could mean that Scotland is a net beneficiary as it is seen as more friendly and accepting,' Mr Greenwood said. This week, it was reported that the tourism sector in the United States is also suffering in light of the presidency of Donald Trump, with a fall in inbound tourist traffic leading to a projected loss of more than $10bn in international tourism revenue this year when compared to last, from from $181bn to $169bn. The downturn has been driven by a 'steep decline' in global traveller confidence given tightened visa restrictions, stricter immigration enforcement, and the rising strength of the U.S. dollar, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ongoing diplomatic tensions, unfavourable rhetoric and trade disagreements have also discouraged inbound tourism, the organisation said. Canada, the largest source of international arrivals to the US, is showing a notable drop in interest, with early summer bookings down over 20 per cent year-on-year. Mr Greenwood added the fall in visitors to the US could also benefit Scotland. He added: ' In a declining market, Scotland may be a net beneficiary of that displacement. We could still see a decline in US visitors, but perhaps not as bad as other places. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Scotland could be a net beneficiary of visitors from Canada and from Europe as they avoid going to the US.' Chris Greenwood, senior research fellow of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University. | Chris Watt Photography In an article, Visit Scotland said it was 'important' that booking trends from the US continued to be monitored and adapted to 'shifting consumer behaviour' in the face of 'changing global circumstances'. 'Scotland's tourism industry will need to remain agile to attract and retain North American visitors in an increasingly complex global landscape,' it said. A 'concerted effort' was now underway to engage with Canadian audiences. with a new direct Air Canada flight from Montreal to Edinburgh due to open on June 26. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The article added: 'As the global travel market continues to evolve, Canada presents an exciting opportunity for Scotland. Although too early to draw firm conclusions, Canadian travellers are keen to explore destinations outside of their home country, which provides an opportunity for Scotland to position itself as an attractive alternative destination.' Rubers Law in the Scottish Borders. The south of Scotland is growing its tourist numbers - with the American market seen as key to its success. PIC: Duncan Ireland/South of Scotland Destination Alliance. | Duncan Ireland Of the new Air Canada service into Edinburgh , it added: 'This route will provide a much-needed direct connection, making travel to Scotland more convenient and accessible for Canadian visitors. To capitalise on this new flight, a concerted effort is underway to engage with Canadian audiences and travel professionals alike.' Meanwhile, JetBlue has launched its first non-stop flight from Boston to Edinburgh, with VisitScotland highlighting airline seat capacity from US into Scotland was now up 31 per cent on 2024 figures. The demand for the new flights from Boston will be of key interest to Visit Scotland and tourist leaders across Scotland, including David Hope-Jones of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The group represents decision makers and businesses across Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway and has an aim to boost tourist revenue across the south of the country by £1bn to £1.7bn by 2034. Tourism-related jobs are set to rise from 13,000 to 20,000 to 2034 under the alliance's goals. There have been some impressive early successes, with a 20 per cent rise in revenues reported in the past year, but key to the long term success is tapping into the wealthy US market. David Hope-Jones, CEO of South of Scotland Destination Alliance, said the US market was key to increasing tourism revenue in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. PIC: Contributed. | contributed Mr Hope-Jones said: 'Only six per cent of visitors to the south of Scotland are international, compared to the 23 per cent average. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'That matters because the European self-drive market spends twice as much per day as a domestic visitor and the North American market spends four times as much as your domestic visitor. 'So if we are going to get that extra billion pounds in ways that don't exceed our infrastructure, we need to through the summer months get the price point up and get the international market up. 'It is challenging and obviously in the chapter of Trump 2.0, there is complicated geo-politics in this.' The area's history and heritage - from tartan to tweed and Robbie Burns to the Romans will be leveraged to draw the US market. Emigration will be a key focus of the work. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Hope-Jones pointed to the 25 million North Americans 'right now who identify as being of Scots Irish descent.' He added: 'They spend disproportionately when they come to Scotland as them come with a sense of belonging and nostalgia 'Most of that 25m think they come from the Highlands but the honest truth is that almost all of them came from the Lowlands. The story of emigration from Scotland to North America is also a Lowland story. 'That is one example - how do we better capitalise that story of emigration from Scotland to the New World? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said that some 'pretty major propostions' were being developed to create a 'significant national visitor attraction' to tell the story of emigration from the south west of Scotland to the New World, with a site at Stranraer a potential location.
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- The Hindu
Technology-driven revamp of State museums in the offing
Museums in Karnataka are set for a revamp with plans for their modernisation and introduction of interactive features. This was stated by A. Devaraju, Commissioner of the Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage, here on Sunday. Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of International Museum Day, Mr. Devaraju said there are 16 museums and an art gallery under the department and they are undergoing infrastructure upgrades. He said renovation work of some of the museum buildings at Basavakalyana, Athani, Madikeri, Gadag, and Mangaluru have been completed. 'We are prioritising infrastructure and curation. At Madikeri, interiors are being revamped. Work at Athani and Basavakalyana is nearly complete,' he said. The department was also exploring augmented reality and virtual reality technologies to make the visitor experience at museums more immersive and interactive. The objective is to engage with the young minds and instil interest in them in areas of art and cultural heritage as depicted by the artifacts and the exhibits. Mr. Devaraju said a tech firm, Apozee, has been roped in to prepare concept ideas and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for digital walkthroughs and interactive experiences. 'They have been asked to visit sites and submit proposals soon,' he added. Meanwhile, plans are also under way to redesign museums at Yellandur and Srirangapatna, the latter struggling with visibility issues despite its location near the iconic Ranganathaswamy Temple. On the proposed museum near Chamundi Vihar Stadium, which received budgetary support from the State government, the Commissioner said the concept was yet to be finalised. The department will not rush into preparing a DPR until there was clarity on the concept and it was being worked out, he added. Another mega project is also on the cards as the old Deputy Commissioner's office in Mysuru may soon transform into a full-fledged museum under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, according to the Commissioner. Incidentally, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced that a museum showcasing the evolution of the Indian Constitution will be established. Minister for Tourism H.K. Patil had stated sometime ago that the archaeology department, if provided with some space for a couple of galleries, could exhibit the rich collection of artifacts in its inventory, encompassing various dynasties in the same building. Mr. Devaraju also confirmed that the Archaeological Survey of India has given its approval for taking up excavations at Rajghatta and Lakkundi, and it would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on June 3, 2025.
Scotsman
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
CD, cassette, MP3, karaoke: TEAC will sell you a retro hi-fi unit in 2025 that does the lot
'It's a full, hands-on experience interacting with this one-of-a-kind TEAC' Sign up to our History and Heritage newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Back when mobile phones were the size and weight of a house brick and giant shoulder pads were de rigueur, our hi-fi set-ups were equally as conspicuous. Think big metal boxes in brushed aluminium, festooned with buttons, switches, flashing LEDs and a pair of mesmerizing sound meters. And that was likely just the amplifier. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad No proper system of the 1980s would be complete without an equally outlandish cassette deck, a digital dialling FM tuner and one of those new-fangled compact disc playing thingies. And, for total one-upmanship, adding a graphic equalizer with as many frequency sliders as possible would be considered the icing on the cake for any aspiring audiophile. The left side of the TEAC AD-850-SE houses a CD player and USB port. Picture: Scott Reid Fast forward a few decades and it's all gone a bit bland, just a tad too generic design wise. Sure, there are some outlandish components available if you've got the budget and are looking to make a statement. A few hundred thousand ought to get you a music-playing rig that will cause any onlooker's jaw to drop. But when it comes to the mainstream market, the affordable kit that most of us will look to for our musical fix, well, it just ain't very sexy any more. Much of that is to do with market trends and how people consume music these days - chiefly via streaming services and very often on mobile devices. There's simply no need for a stack of black or silver boxes when some smart speaker solution or sound bar can do the job. The closest that most folks will get to 'serious' audio nowadays is some form of app-controlled, one-box solution with maybe a record player tacked on just to keep in with the vinyl revival trend/bandwagon/bubble. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lately, there have been attempts at recreating that 70s/80s hi-fi styling vibe from the likes of Leak, NAD and JBL - some more successful than others. The right side of the TEAC AD-850-SE contains the cassette player/recorder and a microphone input with echo switch. Picture: Scott Reid Even when it comes to the CD player - that must-have wonder of the mid-80s hi-fi tower that looks a little niche four decades on - there have been some glimmers of hope. Yamaha has been managing to shift a fair few of its CD-C603 five-disc, CD multi-changers, an item that must rewind the clock by a good 30 years or so. I wrote about the one I bought a few months back and its rotating, carousel loading drawer has rarely stood still since. And that, for me, is one of the unit's main attractions - it's simply a fun thing to interact with. Just like those multi-buttoned amps, tape decks and equalizers of yore. But its reign as the 'most exciting hi-fi component you can buy in 2025' has been threatened by the arrival of another black box in recent days - one with a similar price tag (a little below £500) and a much higher knob-twiddling count and range of format options, beyond just playing CDs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Step forward, the AD-850-SE from TEAC, the venerable Japanese electronics manufacturer whose roots go back more than 70 years. A handy remote control is included duplicating most of the main functions on the unit's front panel. Picture: Scott Reid As one-box solutions go, this unit ticks pretty much every box there is. It's a CD player, with all the features expected of a reasonable CD player such as track programming and shuffle play. It's a cassette player that'll play back normal, chrome and metal tapes (remember those?) with a useful pitch control and digital tape counter. And it can also record onto blank tapes, providing they aren't metal ones (if you do find unused old metal C-90s out there you will need very deep pockets indeed). Adding to those old-school capabilities is the inclusion of a USB port on the unit's front panel. Yup, this thing doubles up as a very useful digital recorder. Pop in a flash drive and you can transfer those CDs and pre-recorded cassettes onto a removable memory stick as simple MP3 files. With the AD-850-SE hooked up to your amplifier you can also record via the unit's line input, onto cassette, naturally, but also onto an inserted USB stick, opening up the possibility of digitising those precious vinyl discs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There's even a microphone input with mic mixing available on playback and recording, plus an adjustable echo effect. Behold, you've got yourself a basic karaoke machine thrown in for your £470 or so. It's a full, hands-on experience interacting with this one-of-a-kind TEAC. If a grand total of 31 assorted buttons, switches and knobs fails to excite there's a further 30 buttons on the included remote control. If you have fond memories of compiling mix tapes back in the day then you're going to love using the cassette function, setting the record levels and trying to fade things out before the tape comes to an end. There's not much choice when it comes to full-size cassette deck separates these days. In fact, there's pretty much this AD-850 and a sister TEAC W-1200 twin tape deck, and that doesn't give you the CD player and USB port. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Both units have come in for criticism from some quarters over their limited specification and it's true that any half decent cassette deck from the glory days of the 80s and early 90s will walk all over them. The quoted specs for wow and flutter - those tiny speed variations that can ruin some types of music - frequency response and noise levels don't offer encouragement. However, TEAC appears to be erring on the conservative side. They have done a fine job with the only cassette mechanisms still in production today - churned out in the main for cheapo boomboxes and born-again, Walkman-clone personal stereos - tweaking them to a level that is more than acceptable for 99 per cent of listening demands. I suspect much of the negativity directed at these units comes from non-owners. Oh yeah, I also have one of the W-1200s. And a 30-year-old Technics deck by way of comparison (it can still floor the new pretenders). You simply can't have too many cassette decks. So there we have it. I enjoy using my turntable, assorted silver disc players and audio streamer, each of which costs a fair bit more than the AD-850-SE, but nothing comes close to the latter's fun factor. The dealer I bought mine from tells me they have been shifting them just as quickly as they can get hold of stock, and that doesn't really surprise me. It might be 2025, but here's a unique and highly tactile hi-fi component that will transport you back to 1985 (with a couple of modern touches neatly thrown in). What is it? The TEAC AD-850-SE is a single hi-fi separate component that can handle CDs, cassettes, play and record MP3 files via USB, play and record using an external microphone with echo function. Can be hooked up to any hi-fi amplifier and speakers. Retails for around £470 in the UK from Peter Tyson and Richer Sounds (at time of writing, summer 2025).
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
DC visits Raichur fort to assess infrastructure needed to attract tourists
Deputy Commissioner Nitish K. inspected key heritage sites in Raichur on April 22, focusing on improving basic infrastructure at the historic Mecca Darwaza and the hilltop fort area near the city bus stand. The Deputy Commissioner first visited Makka Darwaza to assess the possibilities for preservation and development. During the visit, he asked officials from the Raichur city corporation and the Planning Director of the Urban Development Cell to prepare a comprehensive report outlining the measures needed to enhance basic amenities and protect the site. Then, he inspected the nearby moat, which was found to be heavily silted. He instructed officials to remove the accumulated silt and carry out proper finishing work to restore the area. Later, the Deputy Commissioner visited the hilltop fort area adjacent to the bus stand. He emphasised the need to develop the area to attract tourists by installing street lights, benches, and other visitor-friendly infrastructure. He directed officials to prepare a separate proposal to repair scattered stone structures, install safety railings, and ensure easy access for tourists. He instructed engineers from the Mysuru Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage to prepare and submit a formal proposal for these improvements, in line with heritage regulations. Additionally, he directed to dredge and preserve the khas bavi (well used by royal family) of the Nizam era, located near Aam Talab (water body for the common man), by giving necessary finishing touches. The DC was accompanied by Raichur City Corporation Commissioner Jubin Mohapatra, Urban Development Cell Planning Director Eranna Biradar, engineers from the Mysuru Department of Archaeology and Heritage, including Tarakesh, Assistant Engineer from the Public Works Department Mahesh, and Assistant Director of the Tourism Department Rajendra Jaldar.
Egypt Independent
11-02-2025
- Egypt Independent
NCW: Spanish-Egyptian Tourism Congress contributed to promoting cooperation
The International Spanish-Egyptian Congress for Tourism, Hospitality, and Heritage (ISECT) has contributed to promoting cooperation between the two countries in the fields of tourism and culture, said Ambassador Wafaa Bassim, the member of the of National Council on Women (NCW) and rapporteur of its foreign affairs committee. The ambassador, in statements to Nile News satellite channel, said that the conference that was organized by the Sinai High Institute for Tourism and Hotels in collaboration with Spain's Complutense University of Madrid. 'Tourism has become one of the important income resources across the globe, not only in Egypt,' Bassim said. She added that Spain is a leading country in European tourism, representing an excellent model in this vital domain. The second edition of the ISECT took place between February 4-6 in Cairo.
